Specs shootout: Xolo Play Tegra Note vs Google Nexus 7 (2013) vs iPad mini

The highly anticipated Xolo Tegra Note is all set to enter the fierce 7-inch tablet market. We’ve already got the first look at the reference design and it appears to be pretty impressive. Though the company hasn’t revealed the pricing, Flipkart has put up the 16GB model for preorder for Rs 17,999. Going by the specs and pricing, it could compete with the Nexus 7 (2013) and the first generation iPad mini which are available for a starting price of Rs 20,999 and Rs 21,900, respectively.

Xolo Play Tegra Note
The Xolo Play Tegra is powered by an Nvidia Tegra 4, quad-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, coupled with 1GB of RAM. Xolo’s upcoming tablet sports a 7-inch 1280 x 800 display, with 216 ppi. Measuring 199 x 119 x 9.6 mm, it weighs 320 g, so it’s quite light and portable. The tablet runs on Android v4.2.2. We have seen Flipkart list a 16GB model, and there is no news on other variants yet. However, it does come with an external memory slot that supports up to 64GB storage space. Promising 10 hours of battery life, Xolo has included a 4100mAh battery. On the camera front, it is no different than most of the tablets available in the market at a similar price range. It features a 5MP rear camera and a 0.3MP front-facing camera.

Xolo Tegra Note to enter the 7-inch tablet market soon

One of the key highlights of Nvidia’s Tegra Note platform is the DirectStylus technology that can significantly enhance passive stylus performance. So, one can expect a responsive stylus and a slew of apps to take advantage of it. Reportedly, even the top portion of the stylus is touch sensitive and can be used as a brush, and also acts as an eraser when used flat on the screen. Removing the DirectStylus from its holding compartment activates the stylus-related apps automatically, like the Galaxy Note series.

Nexus 7 (2013)

The Nexus 7 2013 model

The Nexus 7 comes with a 7-inch 1200 x 1920 display, with pixel density of about 324 ppi. To protect it from the everyday knocks and bumps, Google has included a Gorilla Glass layer. The Nexus 7 was launched with the v4.3 Jelly Bean earlier this year, but it’s now upgradeable to Android 4.4 KitKat. It is powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor that clocks at 1.5GHz with 2GB RAM. The 16GB and 32GB storage options cannot be expanded further as the device doesn’t include microSD card slots. On the camera front, it gets 5MP rear and 1.2MP front-facing cameras. Google has also included NFC support. The Nexus 7 comes equipped with a 3950mAh battery. Measuring 200 x 114 x 8.7 mm, the Nexus 7 tips the scale at 290g (3G model) and 299g (LTE model), so it’s lighter than the Xolo tablet.

Apple iPad mini

First generation iPad mini

The last-gen iPad mini without the Retina display sports a 7.9-inch 1024 x 768 screen with pixel density of 162 ppi. The screen is protected with an oleophobic coating, just like the latest iPad. It is powered by the older A5 chipset with 512MB RAM and comes with similar set of features as the iPad 2. Launched running iOS 6, it can now be updated to run Apple’s newest iOS 7. On the storage front, it supports 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities. However, like other Apple devices, do not expect expandable memory. Apple hasn’t put much thought in the camera just like other tablet makers, offering a 5MP rear sensor and 1.2MP front-facing camera. All of this is fuelled by a 23.8 Wh (4400mAh) battery. It weighs 312 grams and should be comfortable in hands measuring 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm.

Take a look at the comparison table below:

| | Weight | 320g |     290g (3G), 299g (LTE) | 312 grams | | Sensors | Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass | Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass | Accelerometer, Gyro, Compass | |   |   |   |   | | Processor | Nvidia Tegra 4, quad-core at 1.8GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, quad-core at 1.5GHz | Apple A5 (dual-core clocked at 1GHz) | | RAM | 1GB | 2GB | 512MB | | OS version out of the box | Android v4.2.2 | Android v4.3, upgradeable to 4.4 | iOS 7.0.4

| | On-Board Memory | 16GB | 16/32GB | 16/32/64GB | | Memory card Support | Yes, up to 64GB | No | No | | Battery |   4100mAh | 3950mAh | 16.3 Wh (2200mAh) | |   |   |   |   | | Voice functionality | No | No | No | | GPS | A-GPS
| A-GPS | No | | Wi-Fi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n |     802.11 a/b/g/n | | Bluetooth | v4.0 | v4.0 | v4.0 | | NFC | No | Yes | No | |   |   |   |   | | Primary Camera | 5MP sensor | 5MP sensor | 5MP sensor | | Secondary Camera | 0.3MP sensor | 1.2MP sensor | 1.2MP sensor | |   Bundled Stylus | Yes
| No
| No
| | Online Pricing (In Rupees) | Rs 17,999 (16GB, Wi-Fi) | Rs 20,999 (16GB Wi-Fi only)
Rs 23,999 (32GB Wi-Fi only)
Rs 27,999 (32GB 3G+Wi-Fi)

| Rs 21,900 (16GB, Wi-Fi only)
Rs 30,900 (16GB, Wi-Fi+3G) |

Verdict:
Out of the three, the new Nexus 7 is easily the most feature-rich and has the added advantage of getting timely updates from Google. It also has the best display out of the lot. The XOLO Play Tegra Note however has the benefit of the pressure-sensitive stylus akin to the S-Pen on Samsung devices and possibly has a better SoC for gaming as well. If you’re looking a tablet to help you with drawing and sketching, then the XOLO Play would suit you better. The iPad mini shows its age when compared to the other two but is still a candidate as it has a better selection of tablet-optimised apps. In the end, it all boils down to what you’ll use the tablet for primarily.